


like peaches and sunshine and saltwater (it’s hard not to love you)

by xHeyKYJx



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alpha Kim Geonhak | Leedo, Alpha Kim Youngjo | Ravn, Angst, Beta Lee Keonhee, Beta Yeo Hwanwoong, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Menstruation, Multi, Omega Lee Seoho, Omega Son Dongju | Xion, Omega Verse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sickfic, Son Dongju | Xion-centric, lowkey but like.... high key ngl, only a lil tho i swear, well a lot but like
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25752646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xHeyKYJx/pseuds/xHeyKYJx
Summary: Dongju opens his eyes. He hadn’t realized they were closed. He risks a peek down at his boxer briefs.Blood.Or, the one where Dongju presents late and has to deal with everything that comes with being an omega.
Relationships: Kim Geonhak | Leedo & Son Dongju | Xion, Kim Geonhak | Leedo/Kim Youngjo | Ravn/Lee Keonhee/Lee Seoho/Son Dongju | Xion/Yeo Hwanwoong, Kim Youngjo | Ravn & Son Dongju | Xion, Lee Keonhee & Son Dongju | Xion, Lee Seoho & Son Dongju | Xion, Son Dongju | Xion & Everyone, Son Dongju | Xion & Son Dongmyeong, Son Dongju | Xion & Yeo Hwanwoong
Comments: 9
Kudos: 101





	like peaches and sunshine and saltwater (it’s hard not to love you)

**Author's Note:**

> I’m very proud of this one y’all ngl. Deals w/ some kinda serious stuff, tho, so i’m going to try and put additional warnings before every chapter. Also, another quick note: as much as this is going to focus on hurt/comfort + Dongju coming to terms with himself after presentation, this is also kind of exploring the whole group’s dynamic as a whole.
> 
> TW: vomiting, blood (menstruation), panic attacks, mentions of needles

Dongmyeong can only sigh as he watches his twin brother hiccup a mouthful of thin, cloudy fluid into the toilet bowl. He tears off a square of toilet paper to wipe away the tears of exertion (or maybe Dongju is actually crying) from his brother’s soft cheeks, quickly pulling his hand back when he lurches forward with a heave that produces much more waste this time. Dongmyeong sighs again when Dongju sobs and clutches at his stomach. He goes back in to wipe his face.

“I wish you wouldn’t do this to yourself,” he murmurs, brushing tangled hair out of Dongju’s face. It falls limply back in place. “No offense, but it’s so stupid. Plus I don’t like it when you’re sick like this.” Which is true. Ever since they were little, Dongju has always been much more susceptible to illness, and even in their late teens that hasn’t changed.

Dongju just groans in response, head dipping low in the toilet bowl. Dongmyeong pulls a rubber band off his wrist and ties his brother’s hair back just in time for another productive heave. Dongju chokes a little between a retch and a hiccup, and Dongmyeong diligently pats his back. He’s such a good twin brother.

Someone knocks on the door, and Youngjo pokes his head inside the bathroom.

“How’s he doing?” He asks, glancing at his ailing maknae, who’s spitting miserably into the toilet. Dongmyeong hits him hard on the back again, and Dongju spouts like a fire hydrant, legs spasming over the tiled floor. Dongmyeong offers a reassuring smile at Youngjo’s expression.

“He’ll be okay,” he says. “Seriously, hyung, don’t worry, he pulls shit like this all the time at home. He’s lactose intolerant.” Youngjo’s face changes from a look of concern and-or panic to one of pure unimpressed-ness. He mutters something bitter under his breath and shuts the door, and Dongmyeong laughs. Dongju is still holding his belly, but he seems like he’s finished, face washed-out and sweaty and no longer spewing. Dongmyeong rubs his back instead of hitting him and wipes his mouth for him. Again: he’s such a great twin. He even flushes the toilet, too, before standing on stiff legs and pulling his brother to his own feet.

“You should go lay down,” Dongmyeong says, guiding his brother out of the bathroom with a hand to his lower back. “I bet if you sleep, you’ll feel better when you wake up.” Dongmyeong doesn’t even have to bet; he knows his brother well enough to know that sleep fixes everything. Dongju is surprisingly docile, silently heading down the hallway to his room and closing the door behind him. A twinge of something akin to concern sparks in Dongmyeong’s chest, but he ignores it. Dongju will be fine after a nap, maybe some Ginger Ale. Nothing to worry about.

————————

Dongju is lactose intolerant. He _knows_ this, but how is he supposed to resist when his hyungs take him out for ice cream? Onewe was there, too, and Dongju couldn’t be the only one _not_ eating ice cream. Talk about torture.

But now he kind of regrets it. His whole body still feels tense from throwing up, his tummy is all crampy, and he feels so bloated he might explode. It’s miserable, and Dongju knows it’s his own fault, but that doesn’t make him feel any better. It actually makes him feel a lot worse, knowing that he’s missing out on the rest of their fun day because of selfish indulgence. And his hyungs are probably going to be worried all day, too, because of his own _selfish fucking indulgence_. It’s times like these when Dongju understands why Dongmyeong thinks he’s so annoying all the time.

Now he’s laying in bed, curled up around a plush toy that looks like a cartoon bear, silently crying into his pillow and whining at the pressure of his belt against his stomach. He could just take his jeans off and put on something more comfortable, but something low in his belly keeps twisting and pulsating, and it’s frighteningly unfamiliar. Dongju has never felt a pain like this before, even when he eats too much dairy, and it scares him.

Something unfurls in his stomach with a piercing gurgle, and Dongju _swears_ he can feel his belly push out even more, straining painfully against his waistband. With an overly dramatic huff, Dongju gets out of bed to take his jeans off and put on something else. Except as he’s bending down to step into his sweats, the knot in his guts twists and nearly sends him to his knees. Dongju whimpers and crouches down, pressing his hands desperately against the _pain_. He almost vomits right there, on his bedroom floor, and that’s when he thinks that maybe his hyungs should worry, after all.

After finally getting the sweatpants on (he has to push them down a little to make room for the painful swell of his belly), Dongju opens his bedroom door to find someone, but he suddenly remembers— they’re all probably gone, because after lunch is the pool and then a movie. Frustrated tears prick at his eyes, and when his tummy cramps up viciously and forces him to sit down in the middle of the hallway, they overflow, dripping down his face. Dongju hiccups pathetically and doubles over, hugging at his middle. He’ll be alone until late tonight, probably, and of course he could call someone, but then he would ruin everyone’s day, not just his own, and that just isn’t _fair_. He can’t do it. He fleetingly considers calling his brother, but quickly eliminates that idea, too. Dongmyeong has always taken care of him. It isn’t fair for Dongju to ruin his day because he’s been so _selfish_ and _pathetic_ , just like he always is. A sob bubbles up, bringing with it a fresh set of tears. _What is he supposed to do?_ His belly is shifting around from his distress, making these sickly noises, and then he feels it.

Something is seeping out of him, into his underwear.

_Fuck!_ Dongju shoots up, ignoring the simultaneous spikes of pain and nausea within him, and makes a beeline for the toilet. He’s alone, so he doesn’t bother closing the door, just yanks his pants down and thrusts himself onto the toilet. Except... there’s nothing. Sometimes, if Dongju has been especially indulgent, diarrhea will accompany the vomiting that comes with too much lactose, but... _nothing_. Dongju opens his eyes. He hadn’t realized they were closed. He risks a peek down at his boxer briefs.

_Blood_.

A spike of cold panic sears through him. _Oh no. Nononono, this is bad, so so bad_. Dongju can feel himself beginning to tremble, vision going a little fuzzy with the beginnings of a panic attack. He tries to take a deep breath, calm himself down a little, but his stomach chooses that moment to send another violent cramp tearing through him, and something fucking drips into the toilet water below him. _He’s gonna die_.

Dongju loses it. Horrible, ugly sobs rip from his throat, and he curls over and hugs himself, breathing erratically. He can’t die, he’s not _ready_. He hasn’t done everything he wants to, hasn’t achieved all of his goals yet. He hasn’t spent enough time with his hyungs, with his brother. His vision wavers, sways to the right, and Dongju belatedly realizes that he’s the one wavering. He can feel himself sliding off the toilet, almost in slow motion, and his vision darkens. He’s unconscious before he hits the floor.

————————

Dongju feels... fuzzy. His head is swimming, and his whole body feels warm and not-all-there. It’s nice, and he sighs contentedly, settling deeper into that warm numbness. And it even smells good, too, kind of like Hwanwoong-hyung’s deodorant. Dongju presses himself even more against... against...

A hand touches his hair, starts rubbing at his scalp. Dongju makes a little noise of pleasure, pressing up into the gentle touch, and the hand stills. He whines at the loss of comfort, but then the person moves and the moment is gone.

“Doongdoongie?” Someone whispers. “Are you actually awake?” Dongju considers not answering, and he almost doesn’t. But then that knot from earlier makes itself known again, twinging angrily inside him, and suddenly it all comes rushing back. His eyes fly open and he sits straight up, overcome with abrupt fear. But before he can really start to freak out again, someone is pulling him back down again, settling him against their chest. Dongju cranes his neck to find Hwanwoong, and sleeping next to them is Youngjo. Hwanwoong smiles at him, but his mouth is quivering a little, and his eyes are pink and wet.

“Oh, Dongju-yah,” he whispers sadly, hugging Dongju tightly. “We were so worried about you, baby. You should have told us sooner.” Dongju’s own eyes are beginning to sting at the tone his normally upbeat hyung is using, because Hwanwoong should _never_ sound like that. Except something about his words confuses Dongju.

“Told you what?” He asks, attempting to turn and look at him again, but Hwanwoong’s grasp is like iron. He touches a hand to Dongju’s belly tenderly.

“You started your period, baby,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You’ve presented.”

Dongju freezes. _Period... presented? He’s an... omega?_ He remembers the blood in his underwear, the strange and crippling stomachache, the panic attack. _Is that what being an omega is like?_ Dongju feels overwhelmed, and he can’t help it when he starts to ugly cry for the second time that day.

“Oh, no, no, poor thing,” Hwanwoong murmurs, beginning to rock him back and forth. Dongju buries his face in his hyung’s neck and cries in earnest. “I don’ wanna be an omega,” he sobs weakly. “It _hurts_.” And he knows he must sound pathetic, which just makes him cry even harder. Hwanwoong starts to rub his back.

A different set of hands cradles the back of his neck, and he recognizes Youngjo’s voice.

“Being an omega isn’t all bad, Doongdoongie,” he says soothingly. He gives Dongju’s nape a gentle squeeze. “There’s definitely some pain and discomfort that comes with it, but that’s manageable. Your body is going to start changing, and it will be pretty scary, but you’ll be so beautiful and confident in the end, and once your cycle regulates, some great things come along with that, too. And I promise, _promise_ , that this doesn’t change _anything_ about how we feel about you. We still love you so much, okay?” He squeezes Dongju’s nape again, and the combined comforts of his touch and his words eases some of his anxiety. Now that he’s calmed down a little, he realizes how _tired_ he is. Between puking his guts up, having a panic attack, and even _passing out_ , Dongju feels about ready to sleep for an eternity. He yawns against Hwanwoong’s shirt, and he gets a pat on the back in return.

“You can go back to sleep,” Youngjo whispers. “I bet you’re tired after the day you’ve had.” For the first time, Dongju turns his head to look at him. Youngjo smiles fondly, brushes tears from his face gently, kisses his forehead. Dongju can feel himself blushing, and can feel something else happening too, deep down in his chest. It’s warm and fluttery, and it makes him feel good, better than he has all day. He snuggles up to Hwanwoong’s chest and closes his eyes. He’s already about to fall asleep, and Youngjo’s finger lightly stroking down doesn’t hurt, either.

It’s no time at all before he’s passed out. Again.

————————

Seoho knew it. He _knew_ there was something wrong with Dongju, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. And now he’s presented, which is fucking terrifying, but also kind of reassuring, because at least he isn’t horribly sick and dying or something.

But also... Dongju is nineteen. Most people present when puberty starts, maybe thirteen or fourteen. The fact that Dongju is so late is somewhat concerning, and Seoho is going to take it upon himself to tell their manager and get their maknae to the nearest health clinic as soon as possible.

Which will hopefully be today. It’s nearing nine thirty, and Seoho is camped out in the living room with a steaming mug of coffee and butterflies in his belly. He was able to see Dongju yesterday, but he was asleep. Youngjo has assured him that their maknae is doing perfectly fine, but Seoho still wants to see it for himself. After finding out that Dongju threw up yesterday, Seoho convinced Hwanwoong and Youngjo to check up on him and make sure he was okay. He got a call from a teary Hwanwoong forty five minutes later, and the rest of them booked it back home.

And now here he is. Waiting anxiously for his maknae to wake up. As the only other omega in the group, Seoho understands first-hand how scary it is to present, and all he wants is to coddle his maknae and rub his surely-aching tummy.

_Ugh, Jesus_. His nesting instincts are starting to kick in.

“Hyung?” Seoho looks up. Keonhee is toddling in from the hallway, blanket wrapped around his shoulders. “Are we the only ones awake?” He asks as he sits down next to his elder. Seoho smiles at him and nods.

“Are you hungry?” He asks. “I think we still have some bacon left from the other day. Or cereal? Maybe there’s some fruit in the...” Seoho tapers off at Keonhee’s face. “What?” He says defensively. “I can’t help it!” Keonhee giggles at him, nuzzling up against his side, and Seoho can’t help but wrap an arm around him. He can smell Keonhee’s anxiety, as much as he’s probably trying to hide it.

“Hey,” he says gently. “Dongju-ah is going to be just fine, alright? What happened yesterday was really scary, but we’re going to get him checked out today, and everything should be fine. Promise.” Keonhee doesn’t say anything, but Seoho can sense his uneasiness diminishing a little. He presses his nose into Keonhee’s bed head and closes his eyes. Now to wait for their maknae.

The wait isn’t long. Dongju comes shuffling in after only a few minutes, followed closely by Hwanwoong. He’s wearing his favorite fluffy hoodie, rubbing at his puffy face with sweater paws, and Seoho can see Hwanwoong firmly holding his hips from behind, as if to steady him. The sight is absolutely _precious_.

“Dongju!” Keonhee exclaims, shooting up from his seat. Dongju looks like he’s going to say something, but he yawns instead, then pouts and rubs at his eyes. Seoho coos at him and sets his coffee down, opening his arms widely for his maknae. Dongju gladly slots himself in his hyung’s hold, settling down with his back to Seoho’s chest. Seoho carefully puts his hands around Dongju’s middle, feels the bloated curve of his tummy through his clothes. It must be pretty painful. He rubs a little circle to see what the reaction is, and he’s pleasantly surprised when Dongju huffs a little breath and goes limp against him. Seoho keeps going.

“How do you feel?” He asks as Hwanwoong comes to sit on the floor by their feet. Keonhee is sitting back down now, nuzzling his cheek against Dongju’s affectionately.

“Tired,” Dongju mumbles. His voice is hoarse and deep from sleep. “My belly feels weird.” Then he straightens up a little, like he’s just remembered something. Seoho gently pulls him back down and slips his hands up under his hoodie to keep rubbing at his upset stomach. “What’s the matter, Doongdoonie?” Hwanwoong asks, touching the maknae’s knee.

Dongju shifts a little, turning his head in an attempt to hide in Seoho’s neck. “Um...” He gulps audibly, and suddenly Seoho can _smell_ him. He smells sweet and summery, like peaches and sunshine and saltwater, with a slight bitter undertone from his anxiety. _God_ , he smells so good. Seoho noses at him a little, at the smooth plane of skin between his neck and his shoulder, and notices how swollen his scent glands are. Shit, that isn’t good, either.

Dongju shifts again. “What... what about... you know...” The faint bitterness in his scent racks up a notch, and Seoho tries to release his own comforting pheromones. The effect is immediate, and Dongju’s scent sweetens once more as he relaxes against his hyung.

“What, baby?” Hwanwoong asks. Dongju huffs frustratedly. “The- the _bleeding_!” He blurts, slapping his hands over his face. “How do you... like, stop... it...” Seoho freezes. _How do you stop bleeding?_ He locks eyes with Hwanwoong over the maknae’s shoulder, and Hwanwoong looks just as shocked as he does. Next to him, Keonhee is looking at Seoho with wide eyes.

“Dongju...” Seoho starts slowly, carefully situating the boy so that he’s sitting sideways in his lap, so Seoho can get a better look at his face. Dongju whines when he gently pulls his hands away from his face, but otherwise doesn’t resist. “What do you know about cycles?” Dongju glances at him with vulnerable eyes, face flushing even brighter, and Seoho realizes that he probably doesn’t know _anything_. He takes one of Dongju’s arms and begins to gingerly massage at the scent gland in his inner forearm. Dongju sucks in a breath and whines a little, meekly trying to pull away, but Seoho stands firm. Keonhee follows his lead and starts massaging at his other arm.

“These are your scent glands,” Seoho tells him. “Everyone has them, even before presenting, but they’re becoming active now, which is why they might be kind of sore. Massaging them helps them activate, and it will help the pain, too.” He touches his nose to the gland at his neck. “You also have a scent gland here, and one on the other side, and two more on your inner thighs.” He gives Dongju a moment to absorb the information before continuing. “When your cycle starts, it will usually start with a period, which is what you’re going through now. The bleeding indicates that your body is preparing itself for a baby, if you ever want to do that. The bleeding lasts for a few days, maybe four-ish, and then your cycle will be basically over. You can use special kinds of underwear or plain old pads to control it. You might be kind of horny for a couple of days after, and usually your heat will occur every three months, taking place over your usual cycle.” Dongju is fully relaxed against him now, so Seoho moves on to the glands near his neck. He notices Hwanwoong’s hands up high on Dongju’s inner thighs, rubbing at the swollen flesh there, and smiles a little.

“Your body is going to start changing,” Seoho tells him. “The biggest development is probably going to be the physical attributes. Your waist will thin out, your hips will widen and your thighs might thicken. You’ll lose some muscle, which will be replaced with fat. Your tastes could start to change, too, but maybe not. You might get a lot touchier with people, and more emotional.” Seoho can sense Dongju’s scent becoming icy with fear, and hugs him tightly. “I know this is a lot to take in,” he whispers. “I know you must be really scared right now, and that’s okay. Your hyungs are going to be with you every step of the way, okay?” Dongju sniffles, nods a little. Seoho kisses his cheek and brushes tangled hair out of his face. Seoho expects him to say something, maybe have a question or two, but Dongju is silent. It’s worrisome, to say the least, but Seoho lets him be for now. It’s a lot to take in, after all.

Someone’s stomach grumbles loudly. Dongju blushes and puts a hand to his middle, like that will stop the sound. Hwanwoong laughs and pokes at his belly.

“Somebody’s hungry,” he teases, climbing to his feet. He offers Dongju his hands, and the maknae allows his hyung to pull him up. Seoho follows them to the kitchen and starts pulling things out of the fridge while they sit at the table.

“What are you in the mood for?” Seoho asks, inspecting the expiration date on a jug of milk. “Bacon, toast, eggs... oh, I bet there’s some pancake mix around somewhere, too.” When he turns to look at the maknae, the boy is seated in Hwanwoong’s lap, surprisingly well-behaved even as Hwanwoong teasingly pinches his cheeks.

“Can I just have chocolate milk?” He asks sheepishly. Seoho doesn’t miss the way his hands go up to touch his abdomen. _He must be feeling cramping_ , Seoho thinks sympathetically. He knows how agonizing that can be. _Still, he needs to eat_. He opens the medicine cabinet above the sink and rustles around for a second before finding what he wants. He pulls out a stuffed rabbit and a little glass bottle.

“Ooh, I forgot about Ryan!” Hwanwoong squeals from behind him. Seoho chuckles as he puts the rabbit in the microwave.

“Who’s Ryan?” Dongju asks, and Seoho can smell Hwanwoong’s excitement from here. “Heating pad bunny!” He explains eagerly. While Hwanwoong and Dongju chatter behind him, Seoho starts on breakfast. He decides to make pancakes, because even if Dongju won’t eat them, everyone else will. He puts chocolate chips in the batter, as a special treat, and when he’s making Dongju’s, he makes sure to add extra chocolate chips and a couple of drops from the glass bottle. Seoho prefers to use CBD when he’s on his period, because it’s healthier than over-the-counter medicines. When the microwave beeps, he pulls Ryan out and hands him to Hwanwoong before turning back to his pancakes.

By the time he’s setting the table, everyone else has made their way in. Keonhee is back to cutely nuzzling their maknae, Geonhak is holding his hand, and Youngjo is not-so-subtly snapping pictures on his phone. Seoho smiles at the sight and starts handing out the plates, making sure that Dongju gets the right one. He pours drinks before he joins everyone at the table.

“So what’s the plan for today, hyung?” Geonhak asks Youngjo between huge bites of pancake. Youngjo takes a long slug of his coffee before answering.

“Well...” he says hesitantly, glancing at Seoho. The night before, Seoho had expressed his concerns about the abnormalities of Dongju’s presentation, and they had decided on a check up as soon as they could get him to a clinic. “We need to take Dongju-ah to a clinic and get him checked out, and officially register his status. Then I was thinking we could go to the store and pick him up some things, and then chill for the rest of the day.” Dongju looks up at the word “clinic,” cheeks full. He swallows quickly and sips his chocolate milk (which he holds with both hands, how cute) before he says something. “Am I gonna have to get shots?” He asks as soon as Youngjo has finished speaking. “Because I’m not going if they’re giving me shots.” Youngjo winces, looking at Seoho for help, and Seoho hurries to answer for him.

“They might have to do bloodwork, to try and figure out why you’re presenting so late. But maybe they’ll just make you pee in a cup or something.” Dongju still looks apprehensive, but he goes back to his pancakes anyway. Seoho is glad to see him eating so well. And the way he does it, too, is just _adorable_. He’s cradling Ryan to his belly with one hand and eating with the other, and whenever he has a hard time cutting off a piece with his fork, Hwanwoong swoops in and cuts it for him. _So cute_. Clearly, Seoho isn’t the only one who notices. Geonhak and Keonhee are smiling fondly at the boy, and Youngjo is back to documenting it all on his phone.

By the time everyone is finished, Seoho is in too much of a good mood to bother with the dishes right now, so he goes ahead and joins everyone in the living room. Of course, everyone is flocking the maknae, either desperate to comfort him or desperate to scent him. He ends up lying down across Geonhak and Youngjo’s laps, while Keonhee and Hwanwoong are reaching to touch him from their seats on the floor. Seoho sits next to Youngjo and puts a hand on the maknae’s ankle.

“What do you want to watch, Doongdoongie?” Geonhak asks, brandishing the remote. Dongju considers for a moment, before deciding on We Bare Bears. Once everyone seems captivated, especially the maknae, Seoho leans toward Youngjo.

“Should you call the manager, or should I?” He asks softly. Youngjo bites his lip. “I can do it,” he says after a minute. He pats Dongju’s bottom and begins to slide out from under him. “Let me go to the bathroom, really quick,” he says kindly, and Dongju huffs in fake annoyance but moves aside anyway. As Youngjo makes his way to his room, Seoho gladly slides over to take his place on the couch. What can he say, he loves to coddle his maknae.

**Author's Note:**

> If u have any questions at all about anything (especially like... biology + why male omegas have periods) feel free to ask away!! I’ll try and answer as clearly as possible :)
> 
> next chapter to be up soon hehe <3


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